The PBRF is designed to increase the quality of research in Aotearoa New Zealand by encouraging and rewarding excellent research. The Fund comprises of three funding components – the Quality Evaluation, Research Degree Completion and External Research Income.

Participation in the Quality Evaluation has required tertiary education organisations (TEOs) to use a unique identifier when presenting their staff members research evidence portfolios. MoE, Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), and TEOs have been using the National Student Number (NSN) as the unique identifier.

Have your say by 5pm Thursday 29 August

To provide a unique, trusted identifier that enables the collection and storage of personal information in accordance with relevant legislation, the MoE is consulting on two options.

Option 1: Create a new unique identifier for use with the PBRF Quality Evaluation and similar research initiatives.

Option 2: Amend Schedule 24 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act) to authorise TEOs to assign NSNs to staff members and share these with the TEC for purposes relating to the administration of the PBRF Quality Evaluation and similar research initiatives.

Both proposals are intended to ensure that the use of a unique identifier for the purpose of the PBRF Quality Evaluation and similar research initiatives, is compliant with the Act and the Privacy Act 2020.

While the 2026 PBRF Quality Evaluation will not take place due to the University Advisory Group presenting advice to MoE, the legislative process does takes time. The use of a unique identifier is still necessary to enable allocation of funding to the research workforce in the future.

Find more information on the consultation process including frequently asked questions, at A unique identifier for the performance-based research fund (PBRF) consultation – Ministry of Education.

For questions about the consultation, please email UniqueIdentifier.Consultation@education.govt.nz.